Oburu: CS Joho will lead ODM talks with Ruto
Politics
By
Willis Oketch
| Feb 16, 2026
ODM leader Oburu Oginga (second left) and other leaders during a rally at Tononoka grounds in Mombasa on February 15, 2026. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]
Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho will be part of a team of ODM experts that will negotiate with President William Ruto on how to share power ahead of the 2027 General Election.
ODM Party Leader Oburu Odinga revealed this on Sunday at Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa during the rally to drum up support for President Ruto’s re-election agenda.
What was billed to be ODM’s mother of all rallies in the late Raila Odinga’s stronghold in Mombasa was underwhelming compared to past gatherings, if the crowd in attendance is anything to go by.
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The rally at the Tononoka Grounds to solidify Dr Oburu’s grip on the party turned out to be a coronation of Joho as ODM’s preferred running mate of President William Ruto in the 2027 polls.
Despite a three-day mobilisation, the ODM event at the Coast, which during Raila’s era would be attended by thousands of enthusiastic supporters, was a shadow of its former self.
Mombasa County government lorries ferried ODM supporters to Tononoka, unlike in the past when they trekked from Bamburi, Changamwe, Likoni or Jomvu to listen to Raila.
Attendees interviewed said they were each paid at least Sh500 to attend the event.
Oburu said the negotiation team will include Joho, who attended the Oburu ODM party function rally in ODM uniform despite being a member of the Cabinet.
Joho declared that he was fit to contest for the presidency. All elected Coast leaders backed Joho’s quest to vie for the presidency.
“Am I not fit to be the President? Can’t I become the ODM Party leader after serving Raila as his deputy party leader?” Joho insisted.
All Coast MPs and Governors in attendance said that Joho should be one of the ODM experts in the 2027 negotiation team. Earlier, Joho hosted all ODM leaders, including Oburu, for lunch.
“I am going to form a strong team of negotiators to negotiate with UDA to address things affecting Kenyans. When the negotiation starts, Hassan Joho will be included on the table of negotiation,” said Oburu.
Oburu, who amused the public in his opening speech by addressing the youths as his fellow GZs, said the party will not be pulled back by the decisions of Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
He said he could not let things fall apart in the party because Sifuna had raised a dissenting voice and will continue addressing indiscipline because there should not be chaos in the house.
“There must be order in any democracy, and when somebody has been defeated, he should not go and start behaving like a king,” Oburu said, insisting that he wanted the party to be in negotiation without opposing voices, and that is why Sifuna and others opposed to the decision must stay ascendant.
He advised Sifuna to stop crying and accept defeat because he was voted out by the majority of the National Executive Council (NEC) members.
Oburu, who addressed the gathering briefly and got distracted by several people who walked away immediately after he started speaking, said he will proceed with negotiation with President Ruto because he had given him the mandate.
Tana River governor Dhadho Godana offered to bring peace between warring parties in ODM, insisting the party needs everybody to remain strong.
“I am ready to initiate dialogue between the warring leaders in the party so that the party can remain strong,” said Godana.
Kilifi governor Gideon Mung’aro said ODM has been in Opposition for the last 20 years, and the time had come when its members must be in the government.
“We do not want to be in opposition after being out for 20 years since the party was formed,” said Mung’aro.
Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir warned that the party members would not be intimidated by leaders who were spreading fear in the party. He claimed those opposing Oburu were jealous of his position.